An Evening for Babywearers

On a recent evening, the meeting room at the Collingswood Library was overtaken by baby-slinging parents. Not an infant seat or stroller was in sight. Babies snuggled close to their parents, comfortable in brightly colored slings of many different styles.

I was among them, my six-month-old peeking out curiously from our sling at toddlers who ran around the room. After a few chaotic minutes, leader Aimee called the meeting to order. We were all there as part of the first evening meeting of the Babywearers of South Jersey.

Those unfamiliar with babywearing may need an introduction to what it is. Babywearing International, a group whose mission is to promote babywearing, defines the practice:

"Babywearing" simply means holding or carrying a baby or young child using a cloth baby carrier. Holding babies is natural and universal; baby carriers make it easier and more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to hold or carry their children while attending to the daily tasks of living.

"Babywearing helps a new dad put a fussy newborn to sleep. It allows a new mom to use both hands to make a sandwich. It lets an experienced parent or caregiver carry a baby on her back and wash the dishes, do the laundry, take a hike, or weed the garden, all while keeping the baby safe and content."

Sounds simple enough: buy a baby sling and be on your way. So, why the group, you ask?

As Aimee began our meeting, she explained that babywearing is an art, and takes much practice to do safely and well. She and others started our South Jersey group so that parents could share the experience of babywearing.

In addition to several monthly meet-ups at different area locations, the Babywearers of South Jersey have a very active Facebook group (200-plus) members. It’s a great resource for local babywearing parents, with plenty of support, tips, and general camaraderie.

The group helps parents learn proper techniques for using the many different styles of slings/carriers beyond the Baby Bjorn.

(In fact, the Baby Bjorn and similar carriers are not endorsed by dedicated babywearers, as they may improperly position baby’s hips and legs.)

Aimee reviewed proper hip and leg positioning with all of us that evening, stressing the importance of preventing hip dyplasia in infants. She reviewed babywearing safety tips, such as being able to see a newborn baby’s head at all times, and keeping baby’s airways unobstructed by not allowing their chins to touch their chests while carrying them.

With her excellent demonstrations, we were able to see how to carry our babies comfortably in popular slings such as the stretchy Moby wrap, Ergo Infant Carrier, mei tais, ring slings, and wraps.

After Aimee’s demonstration, the real fun began, with each of us trying out the various slings. Around the room, three tabletop stations were piled high with practice gear. Leaders likewise were scattered around the room, helping parents to get their babies into slings.

Baby slings can be very expensive, and it’s difficult to know what will work best for a particular parent/baby pair. Paid members are able to borrow a sling of their choosing between meetings. As the event wound down, I decided to become a paid member so I could take home a beautiful, coveted Girasol sling to try for the month.

With some help, my baby and I were situated in a wrap sling. I liked how light it felt; that it distributed the weight differently across my back. I never got to try a double-hammock back carry, but I did practice a front carry that evening. Still, as nice as it was, I admit that wrap-sling babywearing doesn’t come naturally to me, and will seemingly take some practice.